The present invention relates to a portable food container, and more specifically, a single handed container which consists of two separate containers holding two different food types which are mixed while eating.
Research shows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. One of the most common breakfast foods is cereal. Cereal is typically placed in a container, milk is poured over the cereal, and the consumer consumes the mixture with a spoon. Cereal consumption normally requires two hands, and is not an activity which can be safely performed while the consumer is engaged in various other activities such as driving a vehicle.
In a move to make breakfast consumption more convenient, many manufacturers have offered breakfast bars, breakfast sandwiches and other breakfast foods which can be consumed with a single hand. There have also been several attempts to construct a container which stores cereal and milk separately, allows the two to be mixed when consumed and allows the consumer to eat the mixture with a single hand.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,588,561 and 5,753,289, issued to Ness, describe a container for holding cereal and milk in a separate compartments. Cereal is placed in the inner, inflexible container, while milk is placed in the outer flexible table. Cereal is shaken from the inner, inflexible, container into the consumer""s mouth, and the consumer then squeezes the outer flexible container to squirt milk into the consumer""s mouth. In this manner, the cereal and the milk are mixed inside the consumer""s mouth. The Ness patents also require rotation of the portable food container to a dispensing position before the consumer can use the product. A need exists for a simplified single handed container, which will allow an individual to consume cereal and milk with a single hand while hiking, camping, driving, or while involved in other activities.
Accordingly, a need exists for a simplified, one handed container, which stores a dry particular food separately from a liquid food, and which allows the consumer to easily mix the two foods types without the need for rotation or squeezing.
These and other objects, features and technical advantages are achieved by a system which includes a food container which is comprised of an inner cup, for holding a particulate food, and an outer cup which is adapted to receive the inner cup within it in a manner in which a space is left between the two cups for holding a liquid food. The inner cup includes a flange that interlocks with the open end of the outer cup in a liquid tight manner. The flange has at least one aperture for discharging the liquid food. The particulate food and the liquid food are consumed simultaneously by tilting the container towards the mouth of the user to discharge the particulate food from the inner cup and the liquid food from the outer cup through the aperture. The particulate food can be a ready to eat cereal and may be of the non-flake type. The flange has a horizontal surface containing the aperture. The aperture may allow the liquid food to flow through it by gravity, or it may prevent the liquid food to flow through it unless a sucking force is applied to the aperture. An additional member may be included with the container which partially covers the opening of the inner cup and is used to regulate the discharge of the particulate food. The flange can also have a vent aperture. The outer cup is composed of a moisture resistant paper and the inner cup is made of plastic.
The objects, features and technical advantages are also achieved by a method of dispensing particulate food and a liquid food comprising providing an inner cup containing a particulate food and an outer cup adapted to receive the inner cup with a space there between, and where the space contains a liquid food. The inner cup has a flange which interlocks with the open end of the outer cup in a liquid tight manner and this flange has an aperture for discharging the liquid food. By tilting the container, both the particulate and the liquid food are simultaneously discharged into the mouth of the user. The particulate food is a ready to eat cereal and can be of the non-flake cereal type. The liquid food can be discharged through the aperture through gravity flow or may be sized to require the liquid food to be sucked from the aperture. The method can further include a mechanism to regulate the discharge of the particulate food from the inner cup.
Another embodiment of the present invention can include a food container which is comprised of an inner bottle for holding a particulate food and an outer bottle which is adapted to receive the inner bottle with a space there between the two bottles for holding a liquid food. The inner bottle can have a tripod member that interlocks with the closed end of the outer bottle. The outer bottle has at least one aperture for discharging the liquid food and the particulate food and the liquid food can be consumed simultaneously by tilting the container towards the mouth of the user to discharge the particulate food from the inner container and the liquid food from the outer bottle through the aperture. The particulate food is a ready to eat cereal and can be of the non-flake cereal type. The liquid food can be discharged through the aperture through gravity flow or may be sized to require the liquid food to be sucked from the aperture. The method can further include a mechanism to regulate the discharge of the particulate food from the inner cup. The tripod member can be comprised of a series of convex and concave portions in which the convex portion interlocks into a corresponding rim of the outer bottle and the concave portion provides additional space for holding the liquid food.
The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.